Detritus
Mini-Issue #341.5 - November 4, 2005
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*** CAST OF CHARACTERS ***
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Patrick Brower, Editor
patrickbrower@...

Sean P. Gahgan, Editor
lof@...

Tim Wadzinski, Owner
tsw512@...

Steve Shumake, Co-owner
vongoober@...
http://www.vongoober.com/

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*** LET IT BE KNOWN ***
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-Here's an interview Neal conducted last month with a couple of the
guys in Seventh Wonder. Have a great weekend! - Tim

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*** SPECIAL REPORT ***
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by Neal Woodall (MysticX10@...)

-Interview w/ Seventh Wonder
October 12, 2005

I was very impressed with Seventh Wonder's debut album BECOME which
recently came out on Lion Music. BECOME reveals a young band quickly
forging a unique style in the increasingly crowded world of
progressive metal, one that maintains close ties with traditional hard
rock and metal while exploring more complex and technical material. To
get a little more insight into the band I posed some questions to
bassist Andreas Blomqvist and drummer Johnny Sandin...

DETRITUS: Seventh Wonder is a relatively new band. Tell us a little
about your history.

JOHNNY SANDIN: Seventh Wonder was formed some six years ago. Me,
Andreas B. and Johan [Liefvendahl, guitarist] had just quit playing in
a band Mankind that split up because of musical differences. So, once
in the rehearsal, we started to work on new material, which turned out
to be more progressive than what we had previously played. We had
never played with a keyboard player before, so we started looking for
one, and after a while we came into contact with Andreas (Kyrt)
Söderin, through a friend of Johnny's. What we lacked at that time
was a vocalist, so when we recorded our first demo SEVENTH WONDER we
asked a friend, Roman Karpovich, if he would sing on the demo. The
following spring we got a spot as an opening act for Pain for one gig
which was cool. During our search for a vocalist we came into contact
with Insania singer Ola Halén. He sang with us for a short time until
he was offered the spot in Insania. Again we stood without a singer,
but it didn't take too long before we solicited Andi Kravljaca who
sang on the next demo TEMPLE IN THE STORM as well as on the BECOME
album.

ANDREAS BLOMQVIST: We soon found out that it was impossible to work
with him so we parted ways after the recording of BECOME was finished.
We went out on an aggressive search for a new vocalist and checking
out every metal band in the area until we found Vindictiv singer Tommy
Karevik. We called him up and asked if he wanted to come and try a
couple of songs with us. He agreed, everything worked out fine and he
is already involved a lot in the process of writing new songs for our
next album.

D: What happened with Andi Kravljaca and how does Tommy differ in his
approach to the material?

JS: During the recording sessions for BECOME we saw sides of Andi's
persona we hadn't seen before. However, we decided to postpone any
confrontation until after the album was done, to focus on the
recording. To make a long story short -- it ended with Andi leaving
the band. The fantastic thing is that one month later we found
ourselves in the rehearsal room with a new singer -- Tommy! Tommy has
managed to make our music even more progressive with his incredible
talent for writing lyrics and creating vocal melodies.

D: I hear similarities to older bands like Kansas, Dream Theater and
Yngwie Malmsteen along with some of the newer progressive metal such
as Symphony X and Vanden Plas in your music. Who were your influences
and what do you feel makes Seventh Wonder unique?

AB: Obviously we must fall under the main label "Progressive," due to
all odd-meter stuff and technically demanding passages, but one
important thing makes us stand out when compared to Dream Theater,
Symphony X, Kamelot, Vanden Plas, Queensryche or any other of the
bands we've been compared to. I feel that we are the only progressive
band around who has solid hard rock/'80s heavy metal as a foundation
for everything we do. We are not, as opposed to the ones mentioned
above (Dream Theater excluded) based on power-metal and stuff like
that -- at least not according to us. All complex structures and stuff
are almost always based upon a classic heavy metal song with apparent
choruses and big melodies. The melodies -- that's what we love! I
think that's pretty apparent when you put on BECOME.

D: I understand you recently played a show the same night Dream
Theater played in Stockholm; did you get a lot of Dream Theater fans
at the show and how did it go?

JS: Yes, that's right! The gig went better than expected. A couple of
the band members had in fact been outside the arena where Dream
Theater played handing out flyers to lure as many concert goers as
possible to our gig at Pub Anchor.

AB: And I would say that we got a couple of new fans that night!

D: There is some excellent musicianship on BECOME. Are you all
schooled musicians or primarily self-taught?

JS: As far as I know Johan is the only one who has studied music. He
has also taken lessons from Pontus Norgren (Talisman, Great King Rat).
Andreas B. has taken lessons from no one less than Marcel Jacob
(Talisman, Yngwie Malmsteen) as well, but aside from that we are self-
taught.

D: What is your favorite piece off of BECOME and which song do you
feel is most representative of the band?

AB: Hmmm... It's quite difficult to speak for everyone in the band of
course, but I remember that we were quite thrilled when we had
completed the title track "What I've Become." It is a massive track in
which we all get to shine and I think I is a beautiful song as well. I
think that is my favorite but I also love "Like Him" and "In The Blink
Of An Eye." I guess you'll get a somewhat different answer depending
on who you ask though.

D: Are you working on new material and if so how similar is it to the
music on BECOME?

JS: We are rehearsing and writing for the next album as we speak. We
have always been commended for our great choruses and melodies and
that is something we have to bring along to the next album as well. My
personal opinion is that the next album will be more progressive than
BECOME and with incredibly catchy choruses.

D: Do you foresee a possibility to tour worldwide in the near future
or will you concentrate on playing in Europe?

JS: We have just signed a contract with Danish Intromental Management,
and they can hopefully help us get around the world. We will jump on
any chance for a gig -- regardless of where!

D: Seems Sweden is full of really good musicians. Is this frustrating
to you or do you find it inspiring?

JS: It's more inspiring than frustrating. It simply provides more
opportunities to get out on the road as either a main act or a
supporting act.

D: What do you wish to convey with your lyrics?

AB: An experience of any kind! When I write lyrics I always start out
with a certain feeling. That will totally determine the lyrical
content. If I can get the listener to feel what I felt, regardless of
what that specific feeling was, it was a success. Seventh Wonder will
never, however, try to impose what we think in political or religious
terms on other people. That is not what we are here to do, besides --
we could never agree on what we think anyway, since we are WAY too
different! A cool story, like a good movie, with a certain feel to it
-- that's about it.

D: What is more satisfying, playing live or recording an album?

JS: This is quite an individual question! Personally I think it is
more fun to play live than to record an album. But on the other hand
it is a cool experience to hear the songs grow in the studio.

AB: I hate playing in the studio!!! It's a dreadful experience! BUT,
as soon as I have finished with my parts, I start enjoying it a bit
more. I am never as alive as I am when on the stage. That's where I am
supposed to be!

D: The Pyramid of Khufru is the only one remaining of the Seven
Wonders -- did you choose the name because it suggests quality and
longevity?

AB: No not really. I was just dropping a few suggestions to the band
and that kind of stuck. It is a grand name and it has a feeling to it
that often matches the feeling we get from our music and the feeling
we want to have in the lyrics as well. Pretty much it's a cool
sounding name!

D: What would you most like to achieve as a band in the next year?

AB: We want to get our next album out. We want to show Tommy to the
world, we want to get a better production, better songs and kick ass!
We also want to play more! We want to get out and play, and we'll play
anywhere!

D: Anything you would like to say in closing?

AB: Thank you for your interest in the band! Check out our Web site
http://www.seventhwonder.nu/ for more info and updates and spread the
word -- 'cause Seventh Wonder's here to stay!

Relevant links:

Lion Music
http://www.lionmusic.com/

Seventh Wonder
http://www.seventhwonder.nu/

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*** OUT ***
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